Adventure Bike Of The Year 2019 - Yamaha T700 vs KTM 790 ADVR vs Africa Twin 1100 vs R 1250 GS Rally
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- Опубліковано 19 січ 2020
- Discover the REV'IT! Gear used in this video - bit.ly/2NynsEk
The Scoring System - www.brake-magazine.com/adventu...
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This is the ultimate adventure bike review. The four most popular bikes put head to head over a week long test.
We took Yamaha Tenere 700, a KTM 790 Adventure R, a Honda Africa Twin 1100 and a BMW R 1250 GS to sunny southern Portugal and tested them in the perfect adventure bike test. highway, twisties, gravel roads and single track...
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Ha ha you lost me at “the GS is good value for money 🤣🤣
My thoughts exactly. Love these videos, but come on with that now.
🤣🤣 yeah right!
sounds like hidden sponsorship, they also rated it high offroad AND specced it to the max 😝
So, you put a higher performance suspension on the BMW but ragged out the Honda's suspension.
Like a few have already said, The F850 GS would have been a more relevant comparison. Cannot see someone moving from a T7 to a GS.
Completely agree, the F850 would have been more appropriate. Mind you, the F850 GS is pretty impressive too 🙃😉
Agree completely with D Gomes and Shoghun UK! the 850GS is a formidable bike and a completely appropriate comparison. The 1250GS should be compared to the 1290 Adventure.
When I mentioned this point to LP in a DM, it was stated by LP "that F850 doesn't make the list because it's not as good in stock trim" (LP, Dec 2019). Odd comment in my opinion. The International GS Trophy is occurring this week in New Zealand... guess which of the two GS bikes they are using (and they usually use the 1200)? I have the luxury of having several 1200s, a couple 800s, and an 850 within my family group and all of them except the F850 are modified heavily by the owners preference. We all ride them all and love each of them despite our constant comments on weight/size/skill. Omitting the F850 from this group is illogical and maybe there is some internal reasoning? If not, that is fine too... but the F850 should be represented in this class if for nothing else but to help BMW target its designs towards improving itself in a field it invented. BMW / Brake Magazine... if you have ANY "ins" ... we want the HP2 back in an Adventure trim that is light/comparable to an F850 / 790 R ... they are beating you at your own game because... GS has gone from Dakar ... to Decaf ? My $0.02
Yes but the 850 sales are not down, the 1250 sales are down - they need to advertise that one
Alexander Büch it is up only in Germany under 40000 new model sales... let me remind you when the watercooled 1200 came out they were selling 100k+ per year easy! I know that they have a ton of new models and thats part of the reason but the majority of sales dip is due to competition, now Honda, Yamaha, Ktm, Kawasaki, and Suzuki (even Ducati) all have serious bikes around and over 1000ccm... the age of GS is starting to come to an end...
That Yamaha is a hell of a bike for $10k!!!! The bmw is 25k here is the states
Also found the 2020 ktm for 9,999 new. Can’t drop 30k on a bmw, also if u go with bmw financing they have a balloon payment due of 8plus thousand dollars. Wtf?? Base a review on price though and the tenere is the champ.
Had you evaluated cost of ownership along with the price tag to purchase, the BMW would not have won.
this convinced me you can put dirt tires on a goldwing and call it an adventure bike.
What is your problem?! Dont forget some crash bars:)
Awesome,,,and so true,,,I wish the manufactures of these monster touring bikes would stop telling everyone that an adventure bike needs to be 1000cc weight of an elephant.
@@tempestandacomputer6951 crash bars? how about a turret?
Well this is true, I was building a Tracer 900 for well maintained dirt and gravel roads ,easy with the right tires, and skid plate , crash bars done. And I have seen Kawasaki verses on the dirt mountain roads, so "adventure" bikes are just better for smaller forest trails. You can say they are good but they sacrifice something everywhere.
LOL !
this convinced me to buy a 2020 africa twin.
🤣🤣
I already did...😀
😂😂
I know exactly what you mean, I already made a post about it. If T700 had a seat instead of an ass bar it would be a good competition to Africa Twin. But I would take Africa Twin any day over others
Africa Twin is definitely a Boomer bike 😁👌👍
Hardly an impartial review. Pavey runs a BMW off road school and makes his living from BMW.... Bah!
Yeah, but he's a guest tester 🤣🤣
@@BrakeMagazine Dude, your test sucks and is tully BMW orientated. Why didn't you upgrade all other bikes suspension? Yes, BMW is best onroad, but saying it is best offroad is like telling grandma she can do backflip. If Yamaha will make "R" version of T700, with better suspension, no doubt it will be best true adventure bike. Until then Africa is best choice from these, but not better than 990 adventure if you can find one in good condition.
I was wondering how much BMW paid for this victory, lol
Paid for by BMW. What a absolute JOKE!!!
Didn’t watch or read comments but bet $1,000 the Honda is last and the BMW wins with the KTM and Yami as a pick em for 2 and 3. Let’s see if knowing media narrative is more accurate than the bikes actual performance and usability.
24 points Honda , 23 points Yamaha , 21 KTM points for the ktm and 10 points for the BMW. Brake Magazine gave all the points for the street and touring category for an adventure contest, yet when KTM beat the BMW the point margin was much smaller.. This contest was biased towards street, not off road where adventure bikes shine. The KTM received first place by a good margin off road and BMW was third, but only 1 point separates the bikes,,,, How much did BMW pay for this review?
Not at all. Check the link in description for all the points breakdowns.
Yeah. While on the road the BMW is an amazing on road machine. It isn't that much better than the KTM. And off road. The KTM is a weapon. More so than the BMW is on the street. It isn't even close. C'mon fellows. No arguments that the Yamaha is the best value out there. But if your going to upgrade suspension. Upgrade protection. Fix the exhaust. Just buy the KTM. The BMW is definitely the king of street touring. But if your adventure is, well anything. The KTM wins this shoot out. If your going around the world, mostly offroad... Then a cheap stalwart like the DR650 is actually king of the adventure bikes. For the money. Show me a more capable around the world motorcycle. A beamer can certainly do it. But most adventurers aren't loaded to afford the bike, the maintenance, and the trip.
@@Mightycaptain Great Comment,, I also noticed that Brake Magazine used 2 categories for the road ( Road and Touring) to give more advantage to the 1200 GS,,, why not use 2 catagories on the off road,, ( gravel roads/ and technical riding) then the ktm will have a much better score than the 1200gs
@@Mightycaptain no matter the outcome, someone will complain. based on the methodology, the outcome makes sense. gs is very capable off road and destroys the 790 on the street. if you disagree, then you may not have ridden both bikes at the limit. on the street, the gs competes with sport bikes. i've ridden gs and 790 and have a 790 adv rally on order, own 690 enduro and 1290 sdr. the gs is a fantastic on and off road, if you're willing to ride it.
@@damytzeus the BMW is an excellent machine. But if your saying it's that much better on the street than the ktm then you have to say the ktm is that much better off road than the BMW. I've ridden both. The BMW is an amazing machine. And is surprisingly good off road. But I've seen a vstrom handle just as well as any 1200gs where ground clearance didn't become an issue. No one is saying a vstrom off road is any where near a 790 off road. Which is what I've seen. The beamer is in the same category. I also have a DR650 that is rtw capable. Best cogent dynamics suspension. That ktm is better in every single way it's not even close. And the DR is miles and miles ahead of a beamer off road. So by that measure the ktm as adventure bikes go would have been a 1 off road. That beamer is not as good as the tenere either. I'm sorry. The Africa twin would definitely be debatable. Show me a beamer that can keep up with the 450s off road. That ktm can. Seen it myself. And that tenere wouldn't do awful either. Your right though. Everyone will have a different opinion. It's just that this one isn't completely honest and anybody that has been on both bikes knows that. On road. It is a better bike. But it's not that close off road. And the ktm is closer to the beamer on road than it is to it once you hit the dirt.
Who cross shops a Tenere 700 or KTM 790 against the 1250GS at 2x the price? Nobody, that's who. This test really makes no sense, why didn't you go with the 850GS Adv?
Definitely agree! Totally pointless comparisons
Agree. Compare 1250/1290 and 850/790/700
I don’t agree. I’m wanting to purchase an adventure motorcycle in the future and I’ve thought about all the bikes listed. I can spend 10k to 25k if I want, and it’s nice to see the comparison of these bikes. They probably went with the 700 because it’s a new bike while there are a lot of reviews with the 850gs. Anyway you can’t please everybody..
Yes people do compare them.
I read about and tested both the 1250GS, KTM 1290 Super Adventure R and the KTM 790 R.
Ended up with a 790 R
Also they chose the Honda with inferior suspension to it's upgraded, electronically adjustable suspension brother, (because it's better off-road 🤪) then proceed to get the BMW with upgraded suspension??? Makes sense...NOT!
It is extremely hard to knock BMW off the top step, and I would agree it is still there. That being said, I think Yamaha has hit a home run with the Tenere 700. What a great value!
Totally agree!
@Alex Scourou In Australia the GS/GSA is a great adventure bike. Very much designed for the outback adv riding.
@Alex Scourou I guess I'm one of those guys with no sense as I have taken my GSA on the Colorado and Idaho BDRs as well as Baja and miles of local dirt... its not perfect but more than capable for almost any adv ride you can think of. Don't be such a hater just because its out of your price range
Thinking of buying older tenere 660. Or f800gs. Havent tested GS yet. Have to find one first
Why is the Triumph Scrambler 1200XE not in the mix? It is a better all round adventure tool than all but the KTM, plus it simply destroys these ugly ducklings for style, looks and raw driving emotion. The BMW is the Hummer of Adv bikes and looks like a pregnant rhino...and it is ridiculously over-priced and often very unreliable. The KTM is clearly an amazing bike (i've owned the 690 enduro), but frankly hideous and shit-sounding. The Teneree is unmatched for value and reliability (i owned the 1200) but rather plain Jane looking. The Scrambler XE is sex on wheels AND can be ridden anywhere...stick a fast-removable Madstat screen on it for long trips and you can cruise for 600 miles in comfort and real style.
This was such a good review that I headed over to the BMW website to look at GS prices. Yeah, not happening.
Wait till you compare cost of ownership and reliability! Me and many others moving from BMW to Honda AT!
Almost 30,000 in Canada....lol
BMW are aweful to deal with and horrendously expensive for parts. Never again!
That is exactly the point of this rigged “review”. This is clearly a bmw commercial designed to keep people jumping ship - ATAS is 110% bmw gs 1250 and you get it for a fraction of the price. This i so transparently paid for by bmw that only ppl with iq under 60 would believe this.
@@Kevin_Ho70 there are over 100,000km driven F800GS for sale. Says something about quality.
Comparing T700 with GS is pointless. Different price , different capacity , different weight .
should have used the Super10 1200. i love mine
If you want to pose around town by the GS if you want to do 1000km plus days by the GS if you want to use it off road buy the Yamaha
You could literally buy 3 t7s for the price of that GS
Your right man ! The gs is totally outclassed by the t700
You said best versions, but you compared an AT instead of an ATAS. Then you knocked the Honda for it's suspension, and crash protection.
So comparing a $15k bike to a $25k bike is not apples to apples? The $25k bike won? I am surprised! :)
And fitted better suspension to the beemer! I thought all 4 bikes should be base line standard how can you compare if you have tuned 1 of the 4? Pretty pointless and I'm only 10 minutes into the film! I wonder if the gs will win? I'll have to wait and see🤣👍
Yes BMW was top spec and other bikes low spec... that was hillarious
The adventure sport isn't really the better version if you're going offroad a lot.
Yep this test sucked!
This review is clearly biased 🤣🤣🤣
Rubbish
Yeah very much.
It seems like an apple and pear comparison. It really dosen't make sense to compare the T7 with the GS. The GS is a heavy big displacement bike at twice the price of the T7. Two completely different bikes. You should have made a split between mid- and heavy weight bikes.
It is an apple and pear comparison. It's a bike fo the year test, not a mid-size bike test.
@@kirkkeller yeah it's crap and a smug of a channel xD.
Impressive review..😍😍😍you helped me decide..🤗
I bought the DCT Africa Twin..😊
Let us know what you think of the bike and the DCT I'm really interested in buying one
Good choice! Nice bike
Great bike and remember,a DCT transmission its use in many many sports super cars.
Same! DCT is incredible especially off road.
Check out the Fort9 review
Y’all should do a test of reliability!
Page Twelve than Honda and Yamaha would win and KTM would be just eliminated
florinsi in my rider group my experience is the same. 🤷♀️ I’ve had more issues with my Africa twin in 20k miles than my buddy has with his 990...
@@dakotamorgan6594 bajaj bs
Yammer hammer is the best hands down
@@skipdegraff6547 for the price you can't beat it. Its going to be like what the DL650 was in the early 2000's!
That was 23 minutes of my life I will never get back! What kind of kick backs did BMW give you guys?
"We've opted for our favourite version of this bike. So we went for the R1250GS Rallye." Oh what and compare to the rest of the stock bikes? Wow well done.
We opted for the R version of the 790, Yamaha don't do options and the most off road version of the Honda is the one we took...
@@BrakeMagazine So how do you expect it to compare favorably in the Street and Touring tests?
@@jazztryppyn8445 I'm not sure what you're asking
Kudos on the work it took to create this review. People don't appreciate that enough. I find the comments section very frustrating. First, they are not BMW sponsored. Second, the GS has a factory option of sport suspension simply meaning it has less than an inch more travel than standard. Having ridden stock and sport suspension on new 1250s there is not much difference. Third.... price, value and cost to own are different things. BMW has high sticker price but doesn't mean it costs more to own! Factor in resale etc. Fourth, all of you dissing the big beemer, go ride one. It truly is impressive in all terrains and on the road, it one of the best road bikes money can buy. It handles far better than the spec sheet would imply. And that engine is brilliant. Quality is also amazing on the GS. ADV riding means different things to different people, for many people the GS will suit their riding better, for others, the smaller bikes will be better. This is not a one size fits all equation. Thank you Brake magazine, for another super high quality review. I truly dont think people appreciate how much work it is to create a video like this, they also don't realize just how little money youtube videos earn! From a fellow creator/ reviewer, keep it up.
This comment made my day 😁😁
So I guess he’s not backed by Honda? 🤔
I'm not backed by anyone 🤣 The honda is a good bike. It's just not quite as good.
I can't really help that 🤣
@@BM-ki1pq Did you listen to the intro? We deliberately put a lot of time into it. We chose thos bike because they're the most off-road version of each model. The AS isn't that. It's the most street version Honda make, in their own words.
Great video, throw in the cost and I'll take the Yamaha all day..
I enjoyed the video and I interpreted the results accordingly. There can only be one winner. It seems apparent that every bike got better, and we have good choices. I am however confused when you state that you chose the very best of each brand, and then you bring the Honda AT. The best Honda produces in this category is the ATAS with electronically adjustable suspension. You basically tested Hondas least equipped ADV against BMW's most equipped and then it got docked points for not being able to compete in any category. I think the properly equipped ATAS would have come in 2nd to the GS. Why no Triumph or Ducati? Thanks for the great content, please test the new ATAS.
Couldn't agree more mate! Chose the inferior Honda over it's upgraded brother, with fully electronically adjustable suspension, then complain about the suspension??? However, they chose the upgraded suspension for the BMW??? WTF???
Very good point well made.....and for that reason this video got a thumbs down!
MrGbustamante wouldn’t the ATAS be comparable to the GSA? Both less capable adventure bikes than the base level bikes because of their additional weight.
Exactly, this smells rigged...
you have a point.
I don’t get how bike with a 19” front can come close off road to anything with a 21” wheel? It’s like watching a flat earth explainer. Have I been living a lie? Help
ride it. and, ride it on stuff you think it can't do. i have 2017 r1200gs. on my 2016 r1200gs, i mounted a 21" front wheel for improved off-road performance. i ultimately returned to the 19" front wheel. i think that 19" performs better on the gs than 21". i also have ktm 690 enduro, 1290 sdr and 790 adv rally on order. the gs is still the best overall bike on the planet. it's a fantastic machine. the 1250gs is even more impressive. you can checkout some of my vids on the gs.
motograce I thougth telelever sistema
Telelever system could not admit a 21 inch wheel
Josep Maria Ferrer yes it can. Bmw is easily modded to 21 inch front wheel. There are ready kits on the market.
i ride my 1200GS in fairly technical terrain, hopping logs, rolling over large rocks etc without issue.
Sponsored by BMW
BMW Promotion?
You should add reliability to the test.
That would make the BMW fallout 🤣🤣🤣
everybody who ever owned one can tell you that.. :-)
I will just hang on to my 17 plate honda africa twin dct, it's a blast off road and on!
As always a well put together video. However, I am starting to have concerns over the manufacturers input on influencing these reviews.
If it's not "manufacturers influence" then it's probably jumping on the "me too" bandwagon.
Some of the T7 reviews are the same where they can't stop praising the bike knowing that it "may" have some suspension shortcomings or other cost cutting impacts. I remember this one video where the presenters were claiming that the T7 had "proper" handguards when in reality it is only plastic that will probably break on the first offroad crash leaving you with broken levers. All reviewers want to be positive because it's much better to hear good news than bad news.
BAJAJ $$$$$$
let's face it
No 'actual' adventurer (especially solo adventurer) will ever buy motorcycle over 200 kilos for offroad tour.
It's just too heavy to lumber about and constantly pick up on technical trails.
And on the road with offroad tires? You will ride 120km(~75 miles)/h anyway so 300cc is enough.
Let's be real, those 1200cc motorcycles are like macs pro. Few pro users uses them, but in 95% cases they are for going to starbucks.
@@drevnykot no actual adventurer will buy newer than 5yo bike
I just purchased my 790R in South America 2 weeks ago,, great bike. I think I will get the Yamaha 700 for my bike in the United States. The BMW is just too heavy for me personally.
Completely understand. If there is one thing we learnt is that BMW have performed a miracle, but they'd be better off it the GS weighed 210kg.
@@BrakeMagazine the bmw will weight 210 if were made of tiny wire and plastic like the ktm!
This is the first time I’ve disliked a review. I have tried all of them except the KTM and Honda wins. Feels like this review is sponsored
It is, the video says "includes payed promotion"
Overall, i think the t7 is the best looking one so ....
Excellent work. now waiting for the overall second hand bike test, for the less well off. GS, Ktm 990 , XT660, etc etc.
Thank you for this review ! Best way to compare is to go out and test them. I've tested all of them and for my style of riding, KTM is the winner, as you said it loves to be ridden hard onroad and off-road.
Africa twin : like said, you never know where to put the 21' front wheel, very good off-road bike but I like also to ride fast in twisties and it's not a bike made for this.
T700 : I agree with what you've said except for confort, absolutely no wind protection and a very very hard seat. When you add accessories to make it as "adventure capable" as the KTM, price rises fast (windshield, confort seat,crash bars etc...).
BMW : Premium bike, too expensive and maintenance is too complicated. For off-road riding I'm not convinced it will go anywhere like the t700 or the 790.
That's just my opinion, even if it feels like you're sponsored I've enjoyed watching your video ;)
Cracking review with awesome knowledge and stunning shots! Also, loving Si’s title of Adventure Bike Yoda! 😁
Very thoughtful review. It's a great time to shop for an adventure bike. Thanks for the video!
Tested the GS 1250. Great bike but too big and heavy after having spent my life on sportsbikes. Still have an S1000R. After testing the GS I tried a Tiger 800 and was really surprised. That was fun to ride. Bought the Tiger and I'm loving it. For me it was better than the GS.
When you introduced the R 1250 GS Rally.... I heard a fart sound.
The GS on 1st place, hahahaha 😂😂😂
Epic video. Majestic scenery, great production values, knowledgable fullas. Top notch. Shouts from Aotearoa.
Paid actors have a hard time saying how good the Yamaha is for the money
Love your reviews , but the only bike you upgraded the suspension on (the BMW) ...and it wins? A little bit unfair don’t you think as the other bikes didn’t get any suspension upgrades.
I think I personally would have chosen the Yamaha or Honda...because the BMW and KTM are just heavy for me , but the tenere looks pretty good 👍
upgrade? the bmw offers the sport suspension on the rally versions. some people don't want it for the added height. the other bikes don't offer suspension options.
@@damytzeus the Honda most certainly does! Not just the suspension either!
@@billybunter3753 what suspension options does honda offer when purchasing bike?
@@damytzeus The higher speced Africa Twin has fully adjustable electronic suspension.
@@billybunter3753 Only on the AS model, which is more touring orientated.
You guys smashed it with this one! Such a good review.
Awesome comparo!
You shot right at my door step! In some shots, literally at my door step! Next time you're in the hood, holler! I can show you some cool tracks and give a hand with shooting... like getting all the bikes and all the riders on the same shot!
Keep up the good work! ; )~
Thanks. I would love to see a test of the best adventure bikes, not just the best popular adventure bikes
Enjoyable and informative video, thanks!
I don't think an evaluation of "Adventure Bike of the Year" is complete without taking into account reliability and total cost of ownership. These are two enormous categories to consider for the vast majority of riders.
How do we test reliability in five days? I agree though.
@@BrakeMagazine Agreed, impossible to test, there are metrics for brand reliability over time which might warrant a mention. I get it that you would stick to what you can evaluate but buyers will do the best they can to assess and will probably look at warranty and a brands reputation.
@@BrakeMagazine You don't. Instead you look at the cost of ownership over a given time period. Cost to service, cost of parts, maintenance intervals.
Wow, I just commented on another upload saying you guys are unbiased and very informative. I take that back.This is not a sponsored review to promote BMW, but one to tarnish Honda as much as possible. Clearly you are a dedicated team on the planet unleashed for dedicated Honda bashing.
Clearly not. I mean, watch our Africa Twin review. Just because a bike doesn't win a test doesn't mean we're biased 😅
@@BrakeMagazine What test was this really? 700cc, 790, 1080, 1250. Why wasn't the 850GS used? And no mention of cost, reliability and weight! Many things were off mate. Not for no reason this is most disliked video in your otherwise amazing channel.
Amazing review Lel. Well done! It is the cherry on top of the cake.
GSA all the wayyyyyy
The KTM 790 adventure R is obviously too much fun. Glad I own one! 😀
Your the person I’ve been waiting to ask.. how is the reliability? I’m buying one very soon...
@@8andsk835 I’ve had minor issues like 2 blown fork seals and a leaking coolant hose. Nothing else so far. The bike is a blast to ride but deceiving in how light and nimble it feels until things goes overboard.
@@pierreblomdahl783 Update on your ownership?
@@JohannesDalen Sold it. Got more and more issues. Bought a CRF300L instead and never looked back.
@@pierreblomdahl783 Interesting, both that you had issues with the 890 and you’re having more fun on the 300. Would you please explain why?
I’m test riding the 300L on wednesday for the first time, pretty excited. Less is often more!
Worst review/comparison I've seen in a long time, for all the reasons already stated here ... 🤦🏻♂️🤤😑
Thanks 🤣🤣
Your video Just sold me a Yamaha Tenere and a Rev’it equipment! Thanks very much ✊💪
Oh there's a surprise the bmw wins..yawn!..weighs the same as a range Rover and you could probably buy two yams for the price of it
weighs the same as a range Rover. LOL :DDDD
To do a proper test shouldn’t they all be using the same tires?
Exactly
They should be using the best tires for each bike ... Tire pattern, bike weight distribution and riding style has a lot to do with actual and perceived performance and handling.
Oh no, a review that BMW's 25k behemot on top, and as he says at 21:00 that price was not a thing.
Price is a thing for people who it's important to. If you care about the 16k price don't buy it 🤣
If you care what bike of the year is, don't watch this channel 😂
:) Yet they have a value category ... where they claim the AT is not as good value since it needs belly protection ... and they do not even mention the GS exposed cylinder heads ... yes, price is not a thing, nor is maintenance, nor is insurance, nor is gym membership to bulk up and pick up the GS. So they are looking at the best of the best that nobody really cross-shop since price matters, this gives variety when you actually remove all the GS comments from the lot since you never buy a tank if you need a jeep. ;)
@@montrealgabriel well, in Germany, where the GS sells like crazy, it's pretty hard to find a gravel road, most are private property or restricted .... just to make an idea about the kind of bike the GS is
@@BrakeMagazine Expect that was not a 16K bike , but one that cost quite a bit more .
Great test Lel. 😎
Great test review
A 591lbs behemoth as "adventure bike of the year"... yeah... sure... I smell some bovine road apples.
KTM 790R didn't rate well because it's too sporty and engaging. But isnt that why we ride bikes, otherwise wouldn't we just take the car ;-) Good video, Cheers.
Totally. It's a test across the board and if that's what you wants it's amazing.
I think it comes out of the test amazingly. We said it was fantastic on street and off-road!
Nice review thanks
Fun comparison! Nice that you gave detailed ratings for each category so if one area is more important to a potential customer it is easy to understand how each bike compared. Would be fun to see what you think of the new KTM 790R Rally Edition with upgraded suspension: even more capable off road and more comfort on road too.
Watch this space 😏
Great presentation and a really thorough walk through of the competition, its always good to see bike manufacturers upping their game.The other question though is would the rider prefer a more high tech bike like the BMW that does some of the thinking for them on the suspension or a more basic old school system like on the KTM 790?
The one thing that crossed my mind the other day was seeing a video with off road push bikes on Global Mountain Bike Network that had adjustable seat heights via handlebar controls and I wondered if this would be a aid to off road motorbikes?
Imagine being in the standing position , and having a bit of seat support that had it's own suspension ?
And articulated electrically ............
To Vague of a review, you left out ease of maintenance or maintenance cost and then you didn't test the AT Sport Manual with ES better suspension also did you try adjusting suspension on any bike. Also fuel mileage per tank. You left lots on the table, Tires etc. I read reviews on the AT being so much better then your opinions but you did test the cheapest model. But don't test the DCT...keep it manual shift
Fantastic review
Difficult to compare & get consensus to “best”, that depends on what your main intent for the bike is. Good job of highlighting the strengths & weaknesses of each so people can decide based upon their application.
The Yamaha in this & other comparison does nothing best, it’s just cheaper & performs well which increases value so it’s either you can afford the better bike or not. The KTM dominates off-road again, & is the most fun to ride on street but loses. If I’m getting an Adv bike I’m buying for those two reasons. I think the issue with having to push at 9/10’s at all times may have to do with the ride mode; off-road is actually pretty sluggish for sum. I do understand if you only had 1 bike & you wanted to tour far that the BMW is a great choice. All are great bikes
Great review. I think that as per the comparative value, the Tenere is the bike to buy.
Any reason the Triumph Tiger isnt included? Loved the video, would like to have seen where it landed.
Grate video . Thank you .. I'll love to Portugal also
Great review
Mocking over the suspension of the Honda, but changing the one of the BMW for the test. Are you serious?
That's just an factory option, more travel etc. Mostly it doesn't matter too much IMHO.
Fixed "comparison" COMPLETE bullshytery!
Disclaimer - I own a 790 R.
Given that you all said the KTM "needs" to be ridden aggressively all the time, it makes me wonder if you had the throttle response set to rally. Most owners agree that setting is way too twitchy unless riding in pro mode. Once the mortals among us changed the throttle response to offroad, the bikes character changed noticeably. Also the suspension really needs to be dialed in by rider weight, and I doubt you made those changes as you switched between riders. Of course you may all be about the same weight.
Hi Paul, there is no doubt the KTM is the ultimate ready to race on/off road bike. I was blown away. Here comes the "but" ;-)...go and try the T700 for a change and try to judge it as "all in one" adventure bike. I was pleasantly surprised. I might go and get one ;-)
Not at all. So in isolation, I was more than happy to bimble on the KTM. That character mostly becomes apparent when you ride them back to back with the other three bikes in this test.
Rally throttle is twitchy as hell. We went through a lot of that in our previous review :) We had a full spectrum of weight, with two riders of different abilities at the same weight having very different experiences with the bike :). Si, the better rider loved the KTM and Sam, found it ate him alive a little.
@mld None of it needs fixing. It's fine as is.
How are you finding the 790 had problems with grip as it has a 9 level traction control that you can dial on the FLY?! Level 9 doesn't really allow rear wheel slip!Offroad throttle mode inside of really mode really mellows the bike out. 🤷♂️
@@BrakeMagazine Isn't the throttle response on the KTM adjustable?
Watched, now subscribed. Keep up the good work
Probably the most complete comparassion that I've seen. Congrats. Ty for using Portugal in review.
have you been living under a stone last years?.. this is by far the worst review ever!!!
@@gsenna472 you probably have been living, this was 1 year ago..
And people are free to have they own opinions.. So you can add a comment and say what you want, probably give some ideas how they can improve their content.
I recently changed my 1200GS for an Africa Twin (last years model). I prefer my new Honda, somehow I find it easier to ride. I had an 800GS Adventure before the 1200 and hated it, far too tall for me.
I have a CRF250 Rally too, if I plan to do tricky stuff I use that bike. 😁
I seriously looked at the Yamaha, but decided the hard seat wasn’t suitable for long rides. The Honda is far more comfortable for me.
Bike choices are subjective, I primarily ride on the road, I’m in my fifties, been riding since I was 13. I used to really good at trials, but now erm, not so good.
Watch and read reviews, but you you should try a bike for yourself. I bought the 800GS based on reviews. Expensive decision based on other people’s impressions.
Just curious why choose the big daddy GS instead of the f850. Isn't that more comparable to the other bikes?
Nope. The idea was to take the best bikes, and honestly the 850 has some really awkward handling issues.
Compared to the 700 and 790 it's not as good.
@@BrakeMagazine makes sense. :) Only ridden the 750gs and 1250gs. Both of them felt really great. But maybe i might need to ride them long term to really know.
That's where you guys come in :D
Thanks for the reply btw.
@@BrakeMagazine Then why not ask BMW to cut the 850 adv's price fron 15.5k to 11k?
@@ampm9771 Because we're comparing the best bikes, not the like for like bikes...
This guys really know what they are talking about! big time. The GS F850 does have severe handling issues!
What a brilliant video. Best adv bike comparison ever. Congratulations. Honestly.
NachoGS 👏 You're the first person in years that see's it our way!
Amazing test keep up the good work! I just bought the KTM 790 ADV R
Thanks!
I'm sad to see the KTM in 3rd, seeing as I just bought one 10 days ago, but at the same time it makes sense why. Personally I'd never buy a GS, I hate how big and fat they are, and way too expensive for me. I do concede that their performance is insanely good, though. And the T700 isn't out yet in the states so it wasn't even on the list.
In the end, super happy with my choice. I like my bikes to have a lot of personality, and everything about the KTM just screams that, from how it looks to how well it performs while pushing it to the limit.
Great video!
Hyperion I get mine on the 27th! I think the reasons the BMW won are not the reasons I bough the 790R. Do you have Instagram or something I can follow you on?
I also drop my bike a lot... so picking it up gets pretty tiring! And the big boxer engine doesn’t always help where we ride!
It's not really a slight on the bike. Its bloody fantastic. It mostly lost out for being more expensive and better for better riders, over the T700.
Personally the KTM is my pick. Llel.
Totally 👌
@Baron I have, at a BMW demo day so it wasn't the best of circumstances I'll admit. It carries its weight extremely well, while moving it's almost unnoticeable especially on the road.
That being said, I think visually it's too fat for my liking, and the feeling from the cockpit also feels much bigger than I would like. I don't have these issues with the KTM. Plus $8000 cheaper for a better offroad bike at the cost of being a moderately worse touring bike pretty much cinches the deal for me.
Why are you still comparing a motorcycle with rings 18 and 21 like AT vs R1250GS 17 with 19?
Great video guys! Thank you for it. Also: Thank you for paying so much respect to my hometown! I love this place to death and you really tried to show some of the beauty we got going on here. It was also really cool to see you guys riding on the places I do most of my riding on! ;D 🤜🤛
You live in a fantastic place!
Great video!
Thanks for the effort
Job well done
Pr7 would’ve been an interesting wildcard
Most folks who can afford to buy the Giant BMW's rarely go off road.
Well that's a judgement 🤣🤣
@ blancolirio The Tenere 700 is probably the better offroader of them all see here :
ua-cam.com/video/eDxBGc9TD4c/v-deo.html
The reviewers should try that with a BMW 1250GS :-) and especially the part from 8min37 to 9min17seconds :-)
I owned a used 2014 for about 6 months. Phenomenal bike all around but I felt I couldn't push it near as hard off road as I wanted. On pavement she's a peach. I'm in the market again and as much as I'd love another GS with a 21" front wheel, I will be most likely buying a T7. Another GS will come later but the T7 checks the most boxes now
@@BrakeMagazine Well, that's actually the truth.
@@THEREALZENFORCE I mean, it's not exactly stock and he's not exactly normal 🤣
Very interesting hearing all the comparisons and nicely filmed. The final judgement is up to them, we all make up our own minds anyway.
Objectivity is a different stroke for different folks. Loved the approach to your test and causes much food for thought regardless as to objectivity. Well done guys...
Really enjoyed watching this test, love the beautiful edit. Only one slight thing - Can Si be 100% impartial given his relationship with one of the manufacturers? I'm sure there would never be any intent, but is it unavoidable? I suspect that if Dave Thorpe (for example) had been on the panel the result would have been different for exactly the same reason
He can we he's forced to. I think impartiality is determined by someone's approach. We also designed the test deal with this by designing a scoring system.
We also didn't talk about the things we found about each bike until people had ridden them and made their decisions.
I totally agree.
Great video fellows! All of the US adventure riders can't wait for for Tenere 700 to be released in a few more months. Cheers
Hi, I have a question for you: when you say that the KTM "didn't do quite as well when you started to put some miles in it", are you referring at issues about comfort during long-range travels or at mechanical/electronic issues after some time using the bike? Thanks!
Raffaello Rossi had 6 Gs no problems with any.
Rear rotor probably fell apart.
Good review I want them all.
Great comparison guys, finally some good off road skilled riders on them. I am the owner of a T7 since last summer and find the suspension soft but harsh at the same time on technical rocky terrain, like too much high speed damping. Did you find it deflected? The BMW 1250 Gs feels much plusher in comparison. I'm on the verge of revalving both ends.
You should have used the Africa Twin Adventure Sport for this comparison. Not a fair test for the Honda
Yep could of tested the new electronic suspension and changed the game
I fully agree with you. You can,t compare the KTM and Yamaha against Honda and BMW also compare standard AT against GS1250 fully loaded. Sorry guys this is useless review
So the reason we chose the AT Standard.is because the Adventure sport is a huge bike. We know from previous testing that its not in the class of these bikes and so we bought the best version Honda make. Its their self confessed most off'road version and Adv Sports is the more touring style.
@@BrakeMagazine ....seriously? If the AT adventure sport is too big, what is the BMW? As the OP says, not a very fair comparison.
@@tonebonetones go ride the gs rally sport vs at adv sport on road and off road and report your findings
Hi, may I know how is the seat height of the Tenere compared to Africa twin, I am not asking for the numbers - I am actually 5’3” and I can reach my both legs on ground on a 2018 Africa twin (tip toes ). Is the same possible on Tenere?, or Tenere feels taller than Africa twin ?
Epic video! Do we get to see anything from Iceland at any point?
Great video, throw in the cost of each bike and I'll take the Yamaha all day...
your comparison should have included the KTM 1290 super adventure R as it is a closer competitor to the BMW 1250 than the 790
gs wins vs 1290. watch intro for reasons for bike selection. 1290 is not applicable
I own both and have to tell you that off-road the 1290 is way better and it is cheaper and with more power about 25 PS
This test has a too narrow scope. There should have been more bikes in both midweight and heavy Adv categories to serve the real market situation. The BMW F850GS and KTM 1290 R both belong in this test.
great video!
At a recent motorcycle show I had a very nice chat w/the Yamaha guys where they talked about how the package came together. For $10K here in the U.S. it's just as you describe - and is a great platform for expanding model versions over time.
"Includes a paid promotion" also admit that they're sponsored by BMW.
REV'IT. We're sponsored by REV'IT 🤫🤫
@@BrakeMagazine REV'it should reconsider
@@gsenna472 That's not very nice. why?
@@BrakeMagazine because I don't think that a well known company like Rev'it should co-operate in these kind of rubbish elections.. come on.. you should know better.. ADV bike of the year??.. massive fail.. even your fans disagree, judging by the comments.. that should wake you up!
Yamaha is official BMW recovery vehicle...
😂😂😂
Hi guys, this probably the first useful video bringing relevant info about adv bike. In the other tests of this category you can see how those bikes perform on the desert or in really hard offroad conditions. Problem is, that there no desert in the center of Europe and for hard offroad riding is definitelly better to buy lighter enduro bike, may be equipped by some rally style kit... If you buy an adv bike, you need to know how does the bike behave not only in the forest, but on the road, even on the highway as well. So thank you for adding tis part.
Absolutely loved this!